ARMY chiefs have defended a decision to discharge a violent soldier just weeks after telling a judge he should be spared jail to carry out a 'promising' military career.

ARMY chiefs have defended a decision to discharge a violent soldier just weeks after telling a judge he should be spared jail to carry out a 'promising' military career.

Jamie Darren Parsonage, 21, from Claughton Avenue, Crewe, was serving in the Cheshire Regiment when he was convicted of grievous bodily harm for attacking a 30-year-old man in Nantwich.

His victim was punched in the back of the head as he tried to stop a mass brawl outside The Crown Hotel in High Street, Nantwich, and was left fighting for survival on a life-support machine for four days.

But Parsonage escaped jail after military reports read out to the judge said he had a promising Army career ahead of him and would serve in Iraq until April 2004.

Now, just three months on, he has been discharged and allowed to return to South Cheshire - a decision which has left his victim fuming.

The victim, who asked not to be named, said: 'I feel let down by what has happened. I feel let down by the judge and let down by the prosecution service. I don't really feel that justice has been done.'

His wife added: 'I can't believe what has happened. Parsonage has got off lightly while we have been put through so much. Last year because of this we didn't have a Christmas.'

A police officer who worked on the case has also called on Army chiefs to explain how they gave such a positive report on Parsonage in court only to discharge him weeks later.

DC Mike Price, who led the investigation into the assault last December said: 'It's one of those situations where perhaps the Army may like to comment as to how they sent a commanding officer along to give this glowing reference and yet a short time later he is given a discharge.'

DC Price admitted he was 'disappointed' when Judge Roger Dutton ordered Parsonage to carry out 240 hours' community service and pay &#xA3;1,000 costs at the end of the Chester Crown Court hearing in July.

He described how the victim had been at a Christmas party with work colleagues when his friends became involved in an argument with another group.

He said: 'It was an unprovoked assault. He was trying to calm the situation down and was walking away when he was punched in the back of the head.'

In the court hearing, Andrew Jebb (defending) said his client had thrown only a single punch and had been held in a headlock by the victim before the punch was landed.

An Army spokesman confirmed Parsonage was discharged in October.

He said: 'The reference that was made in court was made on the basis of evidence we had about this soldier's performance and made in good faith. But we can confirm he has been administratively discharged because of internal reasons. This was unexpected and came about three months after the trial.'